The mental barrier to buying refurbished technology is lower than it used to be. A few years ago, “refurbished” was a word that implied somebody’s broken phone that had been hastily repaired and was now being passed off as good. The reality of how refurbishment actually works — and what Back Market has done to professionalise the category — has meaningfully changed what that word should mean.
Whether Back Market specifically delivers on the promise of reliable refurbished tech at a genuine saving is what this review addresses.
What Back Market Is
Back Market is a marketplace, not a refurbisher. They don’t refurbish phones themselves — they partner with professional refurbishment companies across the UK and Europe and provide the platform through which those companies sell. Back Market sets quality standards that sellers must meet, handles the customer-facing experience, and backs every purchase with their own warranty and return policy regardless of which specific refurbisher you bought from.
This model matters because it means you’re not dependent on a single company’s refurbishment quality. Back Market has certified over 1,000 refurbishers and their quality control process — which includes testing and refusing sellers who don’t meet their standards — provides a layer of consistency that buying directly from a random eBay refurbisher doesn’t.
The Grading System
Back Market products come in three grades: Excellent, Good, and Fair. Understanding what these mean is the most important thing before you buy.
Excellent means the device has been refurbished to look and function like new. The screen should have no visible scratches. The body should show no signs of wear. All functions tested and working. This is what you buy if cosmetic appearance matters to you.
Good means the device functions perfectly and has only light cosmetic wear — minor scratches not visible at arm’s length, small marks on the casing. For anyone who puts a case on their phone immediately, this grade often represents the best value, since you’re paying less for imperfections you’ll never see.
Fair means visible cosmetic wear — scratches on the screen or body that you’ll notice in daily use. The device functions correctly. This is the value tier for buyers who care primarily about function rather than appearance.
The grading is not perfect — occasionally buyers receive devices that feel like they should be a grade lower than advertised — but the back Market guarantee means you have recourse when this happens.
Products Available
are Back Market’s strongest category. iPhones across multiple generations, Samsung Galaxy series, Google Pixels — the range is broad and the quality consistency in this category is good. iPhones in particular refurbish well because the hardware is robust and the software support from Apple extends the useful life considerably beyond the initial release.
are the second most popular category. Refurbished MacBooks at meaningful discounts versus new are available across multiple generations. The M1 and M2 generation MacBooks are particularly well represented — they’re durable machines that refurbish cleanly.
The Warranty and Returns
Every Back Market purchase comes with a 12-month warranty. If the device develops a fault within that period, Back Market handles the resolution — repair, replacement, or refund depending on the circumstances.
The 30-day return window allows you to return the device for any reason within the first month. This is a meaningful protection — it gives you time to discover any issues with the specific device you received rather than committing from the moment of purchase.
Claiming under warranty requires going through Back Market’s customer service process, which the majority of users report as functional if not always fast. The response time has been a point of criticism in some reviews — not because claims are refused, but because resolution can take longer than buyers expect.
Pricing vs New
The savings versus buying new vary by product and grade. A rough guide:
On iPhones, Excellent grade typically saves 15–25% versus new. Good grade saves 25–35%. Fair grade saves 35–45% or more.
On MacBooks the savings are similar in percentage terms but more significant in absolute pounds because the base prices are higher.
Whether these savings justify refurbished versus new depends on your specific situation. A one-year-old iPhone in Excellent condition at 20% off is objectively good value. A three-year-old iPhone at 50% off requires thinking about software support timelines and battery replacement cost.
Is Back Market Worth Using?
For anyone with a clear understanding of what they’re buying — a professionally refurbished device with a warranty, not a new device — yes. Back Market’s UK operation is legitimate, the warranty is real, and the savings are genuine.
The most important things to go in knowing: check the grade carefully and know what that grade means for your expectations, read the specific listing for battery health on phones, and understand that refurbished doesn’t mean new even at the Excellent grade.
Used correctly, Back Market is one of the most sensible ways to buy a smartphone or laptop in the UK right now.
